I’m confused between the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 (Bear 650). My most use will be night rides and Sunday short spins, mostly in the city. I’m also open to other bike recommendations. Please suggest.

autocar.india

•4d

The answer we give you will vary based on whether or not you will retain the Hunter alongside a new RE 650 upon its purchase. If you were to keep the Hunter for daily use, the Continental GT 650 makes for a good step up, given your sporty leanings. We'd recommend opting for the colour with allloy wheels for added peace of mind that tubeless tyres bring when fixing a puncture. You could even wait for the upcoming Continental GT-R 750 which will offer an even bigger step up in terms of performance and features, although it will be priced higher than the 650. If, however, you plan to only keep one bike to do it all, the Continental will feel cramped, uncomfortable and committed for repeated daily city use. We'd recommend the Interceptor instead because its upright ergonomics will allow you to be comfy in the city and it still handles reasonably well when you venture out on the weekend. Do bear in mind that if you expect razor sharp handling akin to a smaller, lighter machine (like a KTM RC 390 or Aprilia RS 457) from these heavier, simpler and larger bikes, you will not find that here and while the RE 650s handle well, that's in the context of heavy, relaxed neo-retros.

autocar.india

•1d

With 40 percent city and 60 percent highway use, the 3XO is the better fit among your three choices. Its turbo petrol engine has considerably stronger low- and mid-range performance than the Brezza and Amaze, which will be useful on state highways, particularly when carrying passengers and luggage. It also has a well-judged ride that copes well with broken roads.The Brezza ZXi AT would be the choice for easier ownership. Its petrol engine is smoother, and Maruti's service network is a significant advantage, while its ride quality is very good on poor roads. It is also the more relaxed choice if outright performance is not important.The Amaze ZX CVT is worth considering if you prefer a sedan. Its CVT is smooth, and the suspension is comfortable over rough city roads, while the large boot is useful for highway trips. However, its engine lacks the punch of the 3XO, particularly with a full load, and the cabin is narrower.The Skoda Kylaq 1.0 TSI AT is also worth adding to the shortlist if driving enjoyment is important. It has a well sorted chassis and a conventional automatic, making it particularly appealing for your highway heavy usage.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

Honda Amaze

Skoda Kylaq

autocar.india

•4d

Since you seem like a mature rider and will be getting a motorcycle after a long wait, we'd recommend splurging a little and getting a more premium machine like the Honda CB350RS or the upcoming Triumph Bonneville 400. These bikes will not only perform better than the TVS Ronin, they will also deliver a sense of occassion and premiumness which the TVS simply won't be able to match. Coming to the bikes themselves, the CB350 is a known quantity and delivers a comfortable and laidback riding experience with trademark Japanese reliability to boot. The Bonneville 400 hasn't been launched yet (although it seems like its not that far away either) but going by our previous experience with other Bajaj-built Triumphs, we expect it to be a competent machine although we'll reserve our full judgement until we ride the baby Bonnie. We'd recommend you wait a couple of months until we can ride the Bonneville and once reviews are out you can choose between it and the CB350. Do bear in mind that with every all-new model, there are almost certain to be some teething niggles at the start so waiting 6-8 months until the manufacturer sorts them out would be prudent. And before you go ahead with your purchase, taking a test ride of whatever is on your shortlist should be done too.